Challenge: Darkest Night of Dawn
by Alucard1959
Summary: A betrayed Naruto lays in a ocean, floating, waiting for the inevitable cold hand of the Shinigami himself to take his suffering away. But other than die, he was saved by a passing Elven boat who takes him far from his wretched village. Giving this distraught blonde a new goal to strive for, the complete destruction of Konoha. NaruxHarem, Saron-like, Semi-God-like, Semi-genus


**Hello everyone, It's Alucard1959 once again, answering a challenge. This is, like in the description, a Lord of the Rings/Naruto Fanfiction, but there are a few things I need to bring up before you begin to read so please READ THIS! **

**1. Thanks to this challenge I have become a big fan of the Lord of the Rings, but I won't pretend like I know everything, and I am basing this off the movies I have watched. For some reason, the library in my town doesn't have the Lord of the Rings or the Hobbit. So, like I said, I will be taking my inspiration from the movies. **

**2. This is a Harem story, but it will only have a few characters from Naruto and LotR's timeline, the rest will be OC that I and Darth Khan N7 decided to random pick from places. **

**Harem List: **

**Naomi(FemSasuke)**

**Fuka (from Naruto)**

**Arwen (from LotR's)**

**Hitomi (Fem Orochimaru)**

**Mako (OC)**

**Makoto (OC)**

**Gaylia (OC)**

**Sawa (OC)**

**3. Naruto will have three Bloodlines, which come from a movie of his known as Naruto Shippuden 3: Inheritors of the Will of Fire. He was steel Release, Swift Release, and Dark Release. If you wish to know more, ask me or look it up under Narutopdia.**

**4. If you have read my main profile you know my stance on Lemons in stories, but, me and the man who gave me this challenge decussed it and…..after much talk with another individual on as well, I have decided to put lemons in this story. Now, fans of my other stories will also be happy or saddened to know I will, possibly, be putting other lemons in them as well. **

**Those who have been my fans ever since I started might think I am selling out or something along those lines, and if you do, I am sorry you feel that way. If there are some here who understand what I am doing, I thank you for that.**

**Anyway, enough babbling from me, time to start this story. I hope you enjoy!**

**Darkest Night of Dawn**

**Prologue**

**Naruto's execution: Wrongly Accused**

**I own Nothing**

**Author's Note: this challenge is from Darth Khan N7, I hope you all enjoy it. **

Loyalty, respect, common decency for your fellow man. All those words turned black in my mouth each time I swirl them around between my tongue. My village, correction, _former _village spoke these very words as if they were etched in stone and yet here I lay, or rather, float at the bottom of the sea, my arms bound by chakra restraining cuffs and my mouth stuffed with an unsanitary piece of cloth.

How have things gone so far south for me? 3 weeks ago I was training my mind and body in my sensei's Sage arts while coming to grips with my new abilities. Now, I float in a vast sea of deep and light blues, my lungs burning for an ounce of pure air. While my body flails for freedom, my mind couldn't help but drift to what brought me here.

**Flashback: 23 hours before**

**Narrator point of view: **

The scene is set, we arrive to see a bump in the covers toss and turn, twisting and contorting itself while an alarm inches from what would be its head fires over, alerting it and its little friend who is now fully awake.

A tan, slightly toned arm slides from under the covers and slaps for his alarm that flashes 6 a.m., only to feel the cold wooden texture of his nightstand. _"Damn it!" _he hissed lowly, sliding his hand around the wooden furniture, trying to feel for his alarm clock, unaware of the two golden eyes staring at him from a distance. The golden eyes soon begin to move, each paw placed in front of the other, inching closer to the sleeping creature that lies before it. Soon enough, the arm finally reaches his alarm and smashes the snooze alarm with such strength the plastic frame of said alarm bends under his hand.

Once the unidentified body under the covers releases a sigh of relief, he is pounced upon by the intruder, eliciting a scream of terror from the man.

"Ahhhhhh! Jesus Christ Nemian! It's too early in the damn morning for you to scare me like that." the man barked, only to feel a small, flat, moist tongue slide over his newly uncovered face. He was given his first morning kiss of the day by this unruly beast that went by the name of Nemian. It was a Lion cub, a 10 month old, just a little bigger than an average youngling. It was far different from the usual lion; its pitch black mane encompassed his neck while his grey fur was smoothly laid on him, not a single strand out of place. The dark colors clashed with his bright yellow eyes that glowed in the night, and let's not forget his long, sharp claws that could rip through the toughest chain-mail.

The cub-sized jungle cat just laid on his master's stomach, licking its chops, awaiting for his morning cubs of fresh meat, even though he is unaware that his master cannot move from his position to get his morning food because of the Lion's weight. Even a medium sized cub is enough to pin a grown man.

"Yeah, I know you're hungry, Nemian. But you know, I can't really _feed _you if you're pinning me to my freaking bed!" But the man's airtight logic was lost on the lumbering beast. The man sighed before tapping into his chakra, awakening one of his helpful bloodlines. "Jinton: Mueishō" (Swift Release: Shadowless Flight) and within an instant, the man's body disappeared, leaving his bed to the lumbering creature that has awaken our hero.

The man appeared in front of his fridge with a flicker, wearing dark orange sleep pants and a black top. His blonde mop he called his hair laid untamed and scraggly on his head.

"Lazy carnivore." he murmured, running his fingers through his tangled mess of hair while he fumbles through his freezer trying to find his "little" pet's breakfast for the day. He fished out a covered plate of assorted cubed meats, "Come Nemian, breakfast!" He alerted his pet and watched as the lazy feline jumped for his position on the bed and stood at attention before his master.

"Oh, now you listen." He stated with a bittersweet tone, dangling the first cube of meat above the Lion's nose, watching with delight as he follows the swinging penicillium of meaty goodness. "You only listen when you want something. What type of gratitude is that?" He sighed, dropping the meat from his grip, allowing it to fall into the beast's open mouth. After taunting the beast with his breakfast once, his enjoyment soon faltered, causing him to sigh once more and plop the meat plate on the floor, allowing the cub to eat eagerly to his heart's content.

"I mean, I _did _save you in a way. Without me and the old toads, you would've been a fancy rug for some rich bastard to rub his feet on." the man began his monolog, walking to his clothes while continuing his rant, "but do I hear a "thank you"? Noooooo, all I get is Grrrrrrrrrr, or ROAR!" He slipped on a very….eye catching - for lack of better words - black and orange jumper with a pair of orange slick pants. He slipped on a leaf shinobi headband, slapped on his usual opened toed ninja sandals and adjusted his weapon pouch.

"I'm not asking for much," He huffed, kneeling down to his pet's field of vision, which was still digging into the toughened meat, "just a nod or a thumb up, something to make me feel a little appreciated!"

As the teen locked eyes with his furry friend, the red liquid that dripped from the meat now dripping from the young lion's chin, he was met with nothing but a blank, uncaring stare before it walked away, back onto the bed his master once occupied, allowing Nemian to stretch out and soak in the morning rays.

"...Yep, I just tried to reason with a Lion….I think I'm losing it." He sighed, "Way to go Naruto. Thank god it's Monday, I can finally stretch my legs." He stood once more, walking towards his door and leaving his pet Lion to his own devices, which was lay on the bed for the entire day, taking in the morning sun that was shining through the open window.

"_How long have I been in that room, it felt like months?" _Naruto sighed, stepping excitedly out into the chilling morning, the cooling breeze smacking him across his rosy cheeks. It may feel almost like an eternity to Naruto but in reality he's spent 3 weeks locked in that room. Many wonder why he was locked up, it's been 3 weeks since the battle with Pein; shouldn't he be ready to help his fellow shinobi? Well, it's not that simple. On the first day of rebuilding, Naruto was the first one on the sight, and the last one to leave, putting his body and shadow clones to good use. But, unbenounced to anyone, Naruto's injuries were far more extensive than he let on. He woke up the next day with open wounds, a pulled back muscle, and arms that felt like rubber, he couldn't move an inch.

So, after being declared bedridden for 3 whole weeks by one of the nurses, Naruto and his little pet stayed locked up, unable to leave the house under any circumstances. They even payed a few B-ranked ANBU's to keep a close eye on him.

Seeing that Naruto and Nemian couldn't go anywhere for a 3 week, they decided to get to know one another…...and you see who well that went. Being locked away from any human contact made Naruto very needed for attention, and that damned cat did not feel like giving it to him.

"_Why did I even agree to watch over that little fur ball anyway?" _Naruto sighed, recalling the conversation he had with the two Elder Toads of Mount Myoboku. Shima and Fukasaku, being the kind and gentle old toads they were, found an abandoned lion on one of their adventures with Jiraiya, and decided they wanted to raise it by themselves. But, after a few months, they realized this cub was….getting bigger by the day. So, once Naruto arrived to achieve the Sage mode ability, they asked for one more favor from the cocky blonde. And that's how Naruto was saddled with this "fur ball" as he so elegantly put it. _"I shouldn't have agreed, I don't even like animals…...well, that's not true. It's more like they aren't very fond of me." _He thought begrudgingly, turning a corner to see the slow progress of his village's rebuilding.

His and a handful of buildings in the red-light district were made moderately livable, thanks to dumb luck and a little elbow grease from Naruto and a few of his clones on the first day of construction. But that will all change by the end of today, he was back to full health thanks to his heightened healing factor and a little help from the Kyuubi who, if Naruto can recall, has been very quiet for this past 3 weeks. Deep down, Naruto felt a little at fault for this devastation. If he had arrived sooner or found a way to drive Pein away from the village, this might not have happened.

So, Naruto's promised that he was going to throw himself into his work; he will eat, drink, and sleep construction. He will not rest until his village is back to his former glory. As he rounded another corner and headed down a flight of crumbling stairs he came to the apex of the attack. The ground was deeply scared; nothing remained but dust and the markings that covered the area.

He couldn't help but recall the final moment of his battle, when he came face to face with who truly caused the death of his people, Nagato. His mind told him to rip out that sad sack's throat right then and there, but his heart wouldn't allow it. He was lucky, because letting him live allowed him the chance to appeal to Nagato's better nature, which lead to the rebirth of his village.

"_Pein….Nagato…...Konan, your names will always hold weight in my heart. You were my enemies, but now, I hope that one day. You can call me an ally, comrade, or even a friend." _Naruto thought, feeling a tightness develop in his chest once he recalled what transpired about 3 weeks ago. Pein, his name invoked hatred and disdain from all within the borders of Konoha. He killed millions with zero remorse so he can come closer to what he deems "true peace", a man who proclaims himself higher than all, who calls himself "god", such pompous arrogance only sealed the peoples hatred for the man.

But Naruto saw it differently. Yes, the man slaughtered his friends, people who were like family to him, but he couldn't help but feel pity for the puppet and the puppeteer who controlled him behind the scenes.

Nagato watched his family being slaughtered before him, he lived through the worst war the Elemental Nations had ever seen, and to top it all off, he was forced to kill the only person he could ever consider his brother.

Naruto couldn't help but wonder if that could be what he will become once the inevitable happens, once he is ordered to kill the betrayer of the Leaf, Naomi Uchiha (FemSasuke).

His thoughts were interrupted once he felt a slight shift in the air, his eyes noticing a distinct red hue bathing the path he walked on. "What the?" He questioned, watching as a pathway of red light began to inch closer and closer in his direction, soon engulfing him in it's disturbingly cold light.

Naruto looked up; his eyes meet with an unusual sight. The moon, something Naruto had thought continued on its orbit to the other side of the world, was now smack dab in the middle of the sun, blocking its warming rays. But that, surprisingly, wasn't the weird part. What struck Naruto as odd was the coloration of this lunar eclipse. It was red, a deep, crimson red that seemed to have an almost hypnotic feeling to Naruto. He couldn't pull himself away from it, the color was utterly sublime, and his heart seemed to pound quicker every second he looked. As his heart began to leap, tightness once again entered his chest, indicating something definitely wasn't right. The slight pain in his chest soon traveled north, gripping his brain like it was in a vice, each moment that passed, the vise tightened.

"AH!" He yelled in agony, dropping to his knees, his hands gripping his temples, trying to sooth his now screaming skull, "What is this?!" He questioned, his vision going blurry and his senses failing one by one. Soon enough, he was laying in the fetal position, his face resting on a small patch of dirt while his body subconsciously shakes and quivers.

Soon, like a passing trend, the pain dies, relieving Naruto of this debilitating ach, and allowing him to slowly stand on shaken legs. He was hunched, his body still a little weak from his ordeal not five seconds go. His vision started to come back, everything was blurry at first, nothing but grey blobs invading his line of sight, but soon it all came back to him.

He now stood erect with his hand on his forehead, pondering on what just happened while the red moon still hung overhead. _"What happened?" _he thought groggily, heading towards the construction site, unaware of a few stragglers behind him, ducking behind the cover of rubble or partially standing buildings. _"Everything…...everything hurts. My bones, my muscles, my head. I bet my teeth are even screaming in agony." _ While his confused mind was preoccupied with his aching appendages, the unseen group begins to gather more and more ground, unseen by the dazed blonde.

His body began to loosen, allowing his senses to return to him, all be it a little dulled thanks to the continuous throbbing of everything on his fleshy form.

The first thing he heard from his newly acquired senses was…...the pitter patter of sandals speeding right towards him? He turned just in time to come face to face with someone's shin now inches from his surprised face. the body this shin was attached too belonged to a man covered in a black cloak, his features impossible to see and his clothing was common for leaf ninja, there was no way for Naruto to know who this man was.

Naruto sprung backwards, cart wheeling his way out of the reach of this man's surprise attack. In mid back flip he was met with a split-second decision, an explosive kunai was flung in his direction, landing in front of his face. He didn't have time to substitute and he couldn't make a clone to pull him out of this one. So, he did the only thing he could do, block. He crossed his arms in front of his face and took the explosion straight to his arms and partially to his face.

He was sent flying, crushing through discarded piles of lumber that rested on one of the adjacent buildings, giving Naruto a slightly cushioned fall, if you could call it that. He looked to his attacker through his defenses, his sleeves now demolished and his arms slightly charred. He couldn't find the hooded man through the layer of smoke the explosive kunai created, giving Naruto a little breather before anything else happens.

'_What was that?" _He wandered, slowly pulling himself out of the Naruto sized hole he created into the wood, gripping his left arm which took most of the damage, _"dammit! I think it might be broken." _ He grimaced, the smell of burned cloth and charred flesh ran through his nostrils. He quickly scanned his surroundings, unwilling to be taken by surprise once again, and found nothing. His mystery attacker seemed to have vanished.

"Bastard," Naruto hissed, limping forward, "he first attacks me from behind, and then he doesn't even have to common decency to face me like a man! Coward!" He proclaimed, but deep down he knew if he had stayed he would have been finished. He may be strong but even he can't fight back with a possibly broken arm.

Naruto, spitting out a slightly red logy, began to walk towards the construction site once again, hoping they had a few nurses on standby for his arm. His leisurely limp was cut short when he felt another presence. But this time, it wanted to be felt. The ground began to shake; the building next to him began to show cracks, before a fist crashed through the solid brick wall. Another figure, this one being slightly shorter, appeared from behind the now demolished wall, fist cocked back with a chakra aura surrounding it.

He tumbled to his right, dodge the fist and the truck load of debris that was heading his way. He got to his feet just in time to slide backwards, missing another super-charged fist to his legs. While Naruto continued to dodge his assailant's punches and occasional kicks, he began to notice his unusual amount of fatigue. He is usually quicker than this and a whole hell of a lot aggressive too, what's wrong with him?

His musing was cut short when another set of hands joined the fray. It was that one from earlier; at least, that's what Naruto thought. The two wore the exact same outfit, each one's face covered completely from view by the shadow's there hoods provided. The new aggressor took on Naruto from his left side, going for his useless appendage.

Naruto could only process so much in so little time before he started to get sloppy. After a full minute of dodge, counters and counters to counters, Naruto slipped. The strongest out of the two took a swing, a direct hail mary to Naruto's jaw. Naruto used his right arm to deflect it to his side, only to open himself up to a strong round house kick to his damaged appendage, causing a loud howl to escape his lips. His howls were soon silence by a mule kick to his chest, sending him through one of the adjacent buildings behind him.

Naruto lied there, pinned under a pile of rubble and plaster, a broken arm, a possible fractured rib, and one mean headache. He was lucky the kick was a second off, if it wasn't, he would have been in worse shape than this. That split second mistake allowed him to activate one of his luckiest abilities only a few know he has. Kōton (steel release), a forgotten and widely underrated bloodline that Naruto was lucky to have, it encases a certain section of his body with solid black steel, unwavering and impenetrable, not even Sakura's toughest punch can break through his defenses.

"_Be that as it may," _he thought, pushing the debris off his chest, revealing the broken zipper of his jacket, which, intern, revealed his blackened, steel-like, skin. "_That still hurt like a bitch!" _He whined mentally, deactivating his ability to see a massive red mark on his chest in the size of someone's sandal. Whoever this was had enough strength to actually leave a mark, even after he protected himself with one of the strongest defenses known to Shinobi's.

"These people…..they mean business." He stated, feeling a slight twinge of pain shoot up his arm once more, "dammit!" He murmured, gripping his elbow, the sources of the possible break, "If I wasn't so careless, this wouldn't have happened." He let out a frustrated sigh, there was nothing he could do about it now, what's done is done. He decided discretion would be the better part of battle in this situation, seeing as he's already gotten a broken arm and a sore chest.

He began his stealthy trek towards the building site, hoping he could get some back-up. I know what you must be thinking, Naruto, abandoning a fight? How is this even possible, but even the strongest have to learn when to fight on and when to back down and right now, he needed to back down.

"_This is so humiliating," _Naruto thought bitterly, ducking into an alleyway once he caught a glimpse of a speeding black blur inching closer to his position, _"Naruto Uzumaki, cowering in fear! My father would have stood there and fought till his last breath." _

But, once more, his body stood completely still, unwilling to follow his mind's suicidal thoughts. He waited until the blur passed his position to start back on his way towards his sanctuary. His speed quick and his heart racing, he kicked his slight jog into a quick sprint, unwilling to alert his enemies to his location by using another one of his bloodlines, Jinton (Swift Release). He knew it would probably be hard to detect but he had no clue if they had a sensor with them, and if he fires off his bloodline even once, it could spell the end for him and the construction crews he transported too.

He quickly arrived at the sight with no contact with the hooded duo and he quickly realized that the whole area was barren. Not a single worker, civilian, or evens a shinobi or ANBU to watch over the equipment. There was no sign of life anywhere, even in the neighboring buildings that were deemed livable.

"Hello!" He calls out, awaiting a single response but was meet with nothing but silence, "is anyone there! Sakura-chan, Sai, Kakashi-sensei!" Once more he was met with nothing but silence.

"Where the heck is everyone?" He pondered, walking through the sight hoping to find someone who was unable to answer back.

His exploration was cut short when the earth, once again, began to tremble under his feet. He turned quickly just in time to find a huge spinning mass of some sorts rushing towards his position, demolishing anything that got in its way. "This can't be good!" Naruto hollered, encasing most of his body, his right arm, his body, and his face partially before meeting the ball of speeding mass head on. His metal sparked from the friction while his body was pushed backwards, creating two trenches with his feet. His stance was solid and so was his body but the ground was unable to deal with such force.

Wearing out the masses speed and velocity with nothing but his steel body, the orb slowed. Steam was pouring from Naruto's body, friction from the ball tearing through his clothing, leaving him in nothing but his matching pants and a single tattered sleeve hanging from his useless left arm.

"Alright, you overgrown tub of lard!" Naruto hissed, gripping the, surprisingly soft, ball with his still steeled right arm tightly. "No more mister nice guy!" Turning abruptly, Naruto threw the orb into an adjacent building, using all the strength he could muster to accomplish such a feet. The mass slammed into said building, demolishing the windows and walls that lined the outside of it. "Oh…...shit. Didn't think that one through," Naruto murmured, scratching his face sheepishly while he watched large chunk of the building begin to fall off, one by one, until the whole thing came tumbling down right on top of the orb like creature.

"Damn…...well, I guess it's a good thing no one was in it….I hope." Naruto mumbled to himself, watching the building's last pieces crumble down onto the ground. While he was mentally kicking himself for such an idiotic display, he was unaware of the congregation of people gathering around him.

He opened his eyes to be met with a group of 5 hooded figures; all dressed in the same dark black garbs, making it next to impossible to distinguish them apart, or to even tell their genders. All he could make out was their different heights, but that wasn't going to tell him much, now was it?

"Jeez," Naruto sighed playfully, rubbing the back of his head with his still activated steel arm, "are you guys multiplying or what?" His joking nature got the best of him. His joke was met with a two man group rushing his position, both with readied stances and quick reflexes. His smile soon dropped and his right arm went up, blocking the first two jabs from one of the cloaked ones on the left. The other on his right slide past Naruto's defenses and went for a palm strike to his kidney, only for his shot to be ineffective against Naruto's armored skin.

"Ha," he laughed, twisting around to catch the fool with his elbow right into his temple, "you're going to have to do more than that to take me down!"

He then turned his attention to the one in front of him who seemed to be gearing up for another assault. He ducked an incoming jab and spinned lowly, catching his attacker with his outstretched leg, forcing him off his feet. Naruto then followed up his sweeping leg takedown with a solid drop kick into the cloak figure's gut, sending him in the direction of his friends, who side stepped the incoming body.

"Hmmmm, he seems to have a few new abilities we were not informed of," one spoke, his voice distorted and unrecognizable by anyone, let alone Naruto's usual scattered memories.

"Will this interfere with our previous plan?" another questioned, the same distortion but this one being slightly higher, indicating it's gender to be a female or a very high pitched male.

"...No, my plan should still work, if he's as predictable as he usually is."

"Hey!" Naruto abruptly interrupted, "who are you calling predictable? I am the most unpredictable ninja in all of Konoha." He proclaimed, proud of his childhood name that was given to him by his own sensei, Kakashi Hatake. "Who do you think you are?" Naruto questioned the cloaked figure, pointing a defiant finger in his direction, "I've taken on at least 5 of you bastards with a broken arm no less. Do you think you can really beat me?"

"Yes, I know I can." He stated firmly, discreetly revealing an explosive kunai that he grips under his cloak's sleeve, "you have skimmed by with luck and unpredictability for too long, I've watched you for most of your life. I know your tricks, I know your style, I know you. And I know your unpredictability will be your downfall today."

"Ha, if you know me so well, then why didn't you know about this?" He questioned, brandishing his shiny metallic arm, "you talk a big game, but in the end, I will crush you! I won't let you hurt me or this village."

"I am saving this village," the man stated, his grip tightening on the kunai, "I'm saving it from you. I won't let such a dangerous creature roam around anymore!" Once he finished his declaration, he chucks the sizzling projectile in Naruto's direction, hoping his production of Naruto's action will hold.

The weapon dug itself into the dirt in front of Naruto's feet, exploding almost instantly. Naruto, believing it was a simple explosive tag, held firm, allowing his impenetrable armor take the brunt of the blast. The impact was far less than Naruto anticipated; he was barely shaken from his spot. He opened his eyes only to regret it. His body began to burn the second he inhaled and his eyes started to blur.

"Dammit! What in the hell was that?" He whizzed, gripping his throat as the painful gas stung his lungs.

"Don't worry, it's not toxic. I can't let you die…..yet," The man stated, walking slowly towards the gasping fool, unwilling to allow this opportunity to pass. "It shall only take three minutes before every fiber in your body will become heavy, in 5, you won't even be able to move your tongue let alone fight back. And the best part, the more you fight, the more you exert yourself, the quicker the poison spreads."

"*cough* You…...bastard," Naruto coughed, his vision fading in and out of blurriness, he could barely make out the person standing in front of him, "you….you couldn't fight me like a *cough**cough* man. You had to…..poison me?"

"Bravado is so unbecoming. I don't need to prove myself to you, all I need is to bring you to my employer and watch him finish you off. Simple enough," The man stated coldly, cracking Naruto in the unprotected region of his face with a hard high kick. Naruto stumbled backwards; that kick was not helping his fading vision. He tried to focus on his attacker, trying to find anything to counter on but it was next to impossible to focus long enough to give him a fighting chance. Naruto's slow reaction time to that tag will be his downfall. Before Naruto could catch his breath, another hit was dealt to his exposed chin, sending him to his knees.

"How pathetic," the man hissed, gripping Naruto's head ready to deliver the final blow. He reared back his leg and brought his knee directly into Naruto's nose, shattering Naruto's nose like it was nothing but glass…..or at least that's what would have happened. He knew he needed to do something, anything to derail this bastards plan for another minute or two to allow Naruto to think of a plan of action. So, he hardened his face completely with black metal, causing the man's attack to cause him more physical pain than he did Naruto. The man's knee popped, a sickening crunch echoed through the empty lot and his pained grunt was muffled.

The man stumbled backwards, his stance now wobbly thanks to his possibly fractured kneecap curiosity of Naruto's steel face. Not wanting to give them enough time to regroup, Naruto activated his bloodline, Jinton (Swift Release), and disappeared in a flurry of golden mist and speed.

The cloaked figures stood around the area, unmoved by Naruto's daring escape. They just stood there, staring at the residue he left behind.

"Should we go after him?" One asked, stepping from the perfect semi-circle the cloaked figures created.

"...Yes, but we need him back alive," the supposed leader stated, slowly turning towards his group, "Danzo wishes to finish this beast off by his own hands. Fight him, work that poison into his system, his body will soon betray him."

The group nodded in understanding and dispersed, ready to run Naruto's failing body into the ground so they can soon deliver him to their leader. "Except for you," he stated, pointing to one of his associates who was about to embark on the same mission as its other counterparts, "you and I will stand back, used ranged attacks if Naruto is able to elude the ground troop."

"Hai," she stated firmly, her voice indicating her gender even though the distortion, "is there any form of weapon you wish me to use? I have many that can be used for containment."

"...Bring out the big guns, I want this done quickly."

**2 minutes later: **

"I-I can't…...keep going," Our hero is found sprawled out on a random rooftop, his face resting on the hardwood that lined the roof, his Kōton (steel release) now fully deactivated, allowing his tender flesh to be easy pickings if the cloaked men and women find him.

"_How is this poison still running through me? That damn fox would have cleaned it out by now," _Naruto thought, trying to move his body only to see his hand twitch for a second or two before going limp once more. _"Oi! Fox, come on, I need your help!" _Naruto begged, even though he would never admit it, he actually needed this demon's help. For the first time in a long time, he actually _wanted _and needed the Kyuubi's help.

Soon, Naruto realized he couldn't feel the fox's presence; it was almost like…..the fox was gone. He called once more, this time with more worry, but he only heard silence. The Kyuubi's voice was now severed, meaning Naruto, weather he wanted it or not, was alone in this battle; he had no more aces in the whole.

His entire arsenal was systematically destroyed of a few minutes with these cloaked bastards. He couldn't create any Kage Bunshin, seeing as he needed two arms to do such a hand seal. He couldn't count on any forms of the Rasengan he has created, the Kyuubi was a no go, and for some reason his ability to absorb natural energy to awaken his true Sage mode was causing him physical pain.

For the past two minutes he has tried everything to absorb enough energy to create his Sage mode but, every time he was close enough to gaining the right amount, his concentration would slip, causing his skull to throb uncontrollably for a good 5 seconds or so.

But, the worst thing of all was that he had used up most of his chakra already. Even he didn't know how that was possible. He's known for having mass amounts of untapped reserves of chakra, even after the fight with Pein he still had enough for a few more Rasengans. But, for some reason, this short fight has drained him of almost all of his strength; every ounce of chakra is being slowly drained every moment he keeps fighting.

"_Why…..Why is my body turning on me? Why now?" _Naruto questioned, before something came to his mind, something mentioned earlier, _"Wait a minute ...this all started….after the-" _but his breakthrough was halted once he felt the strong boot of another stomp on his back, sending shockwaves through the roof. A trickle of blood was now apparent in the corner of Naruto's mouth, while his eyes widened and his mouth hung agape, the pain was too immense to describe.

"Found you, baka!" She yelled, grinding her sandal's heel into the base of Naruto's spine, causing Naruto even more discomfort, if that was even possible. A chuckle escaped the cloak figure's mouth as it continued to grind and grind until it saw Naruto's arm move an inch. "Oh no you don't!" It barked, push down even harder, sending spider web fractures across the rooftop, "stay down!"

"_I-I have to…..get away! C-C-Can't let them…...take me!_" Naruto's thoughts began to blur as well, his eyelids hanging heavily over his eyes, barely able to see past them. Naruto's chakra was so low and his stamina was even worse, whatever this toxin was, it has done its job. It's crippled Naruto. _"I-I can't….. I can't let them win!" _ His never say die attitude does the impossible, it gives him the push he needed. He shakingly opened his eyes to get the right line of sight for what he was about to do. He teleported once more, using up nearly half of his already low amount of chakra he had left only to arrive on the adjacent rooftops. His body dropped lifelessly onto the roof, his face slightly skidding on the hard rooftop whiles his assailants' frantically search.

"You lost him again?!" One yelled, pushing her associate from behind, making her stumble forward.

"Hey! It's not my fault," She yelled back, turning to confront her group, gripping one by the collar, "maybe if you dunces weren't so lazy and guarded the damn perimeter-"

"Shut up both of you!" A voice uttered from an adjacent rooftop, they looked to find their leader with his lackey tailing behind him, his fist tightened in rage, "How could you five be so stupid? He's right there!" He pointed to Naruto's now erect form, stumbling towards the next building at a snail's pace.

"_Dammit! I should have stayed down!" _Naruto grimaced, swaying back and forth while he tries to move his legs, each step harder than the last. He looked up, he was feet from the edge of the other building, he could make it. He could find a way to escape; he knew he could as long as he tried. He reached out, prepared to activate his bloodline once more, ready to force every last bit of his remaining chakra to disperse towards the horizon, giving him the much needed distance from these cloaked bastards.

But, alas, Naruto's plans of self-made freedom were short lived. A sharp, foreign pain shoots up and down his spine, it was a simple prick at first, but it grew in pain the longer it festered. Naruto reached back, ready to find out what could have possibly attached itself to him, that is, until his body seized under the power of 1,000 volts of electricity surge through him.

"Bull eye," the leader's lackey stated confidently, sliding her blow dart back into her sleeve, a content smile peeking out from behind the darkness that hid her face.

"Very nice, you've always had a good eye." the leader stated, before turning his attention back to the flailing mass that was Naruto. His leg's refused to buckle and so did his body, he was still upright, unwilling to fall to this weak attack. "Hmmmmm, he seems more resilient to your attack than we thought….oh well, you can never trust tools to do all the work, now can you?"

He jumped from his high ground to meet the paralyzed blonde face to face. Naruto, unable to budge a single inch, while this man paced around him, mocking Naruto's state. "Now, now, this doesn't look to good, not at all." The man laughed, kicking the back of Naruto's knee, dropping him to one, "that's 1,000 volts of pure electricity going up and down your spine with ease. This chakra disrupter is not only extremely painful, as you are well aware of; it also speeds up the poisons effects. Now, a process that would have taken 3 more minutes is about to be done in 3 seconds. And here's the kicker, as long as this dart is stuck in your neck, your chakra will be sealed away. It's amazing what a crack team of seal makers and the best chakra point experts can make with just a little intuition and a huge amount of funds. Anyway, night night." And Naruto was met with a final boot to the face before he blacks out, the poison finally taking its toll.

"That was…..easier than I expected," one voiced, walking to the unconscious Naruto's side before tapping the heel of his sandal into his side, making sure he was out for the count.

"Maybe he's not all that he is cracked up to be," Another interjected, "maybe his fight with Pein was a fluke, maybe he had some help."

"It doesn't matter. Do not look a gift horse in the mouth, my father would always say." the leader suggested, before motioning his people to pick up the limp mass known as Naruto Uzumaki, "we have captured our culprit. Now, we must take him to Danzo for his…..fair trial, in front of a jury of his own peers."

**6 hours later:**

Who would have thought, Naruto Uzumaki, the man who brought down Pein, battled a tailed beast and won, and the same person who perfected the same Rasengan that took the Fourth Hokage a full year to create, would be in such a predicament.

We find his body on display in the middle of a dark room, a single spotlight glimming down on the poor soul's body. His form was limp, but a few new contraptions keep him erect, two chains attached to him by leather straps are held in place by beams of highly tempered metal. His legs were clamped to the floor by two massive steel braces that they themselves were bolted to the ground, forcing Naruto's unconscious body to remain in an upright position, all of his weight sported on his knees.

The groggy blonde soon began to stir, his head swayed back and forth ever so slightly as his eyes began to open to reveal his surroundings. At first his vision was blurred, unreadable blobs rushed along his sight before it cleared to show him where exactly he was.

He was in a court house, an underground courthouse if you want to be specific, he could tell by the lack of light or windows. The room was a single square, two jury boxes on each side, and behind him was were the witnesses and the onlookers sat. In front of him was the judges chair, but this was far larger than any judge's booth he has ever seen, and for good reason too. It held every single counselor from Konoha, from clan to civilian, they were all there.

"Ah, it seems like the defendant is finally awake," A man voiced, walking to the middle of the judges booth, a Cyclops that couldn't be forgotten, Danzo Shimura. A village elder and adviser to the Hokage, who, at this moment in time, is incapacitated after her unsuccessful, throw down with Pein. Seeing as Tsunade has been incapacitated, Danzo now holds the whole village in his hands, he is now the temporary Hokage. "Now we can finally get started."

"Danzo, what is the meaning of this?" Naruto questioned, his words slightly slurred as he pulls on the chains, trying to get free, only to feel the binds tight hold stand firm, "why am I chained up? Why am I in a courtroom? What the hell is this all-?"

"SIlence!" He shouted, causing a hush to come over the crowd and Naruto himself, "you, Naruto Uzumaki, have been charged with several counts of assisted murder and one count of assisted genocide. How do you plead?"

"WHAT!?" Naruto yelled, trying to stand to defend himself in a more comfortable fashion but was halted by the braces on his legs, "how could you possibly accuse me of those crimes! I saved the village for god's sake! I talked Nagato into bring back everyone, even you. You wrinkled up fossil! And yet you have the nerve-"

"Silence! I will not have any more outbursts in my courtroom! Am I understood?" Danzo shrieked, his one good hand gripping a gavel. Naruto, reluctantly, nodded, allowing the proceedings to continue. "Now, I will ask once more. Naruto Uzumaki, how do you plead with the charges brought before you?"

"Not guilty, not guilty, a million times NOT guilty!" Naruto answered harshly, his eyes narrowing towards the Cyclops, "and I am ashamed of you for even insinuating this! I love my village; I wouldn't put anyone's life in danger."

"And yet your mere presence in this village puts everyone in danger." Danzo retorted, getting nods from everyone in attendance, "attack after attack, mission after mission, we have lost good men and women trying to protect you."

"No, you are protecting what's inside of me!" Naruto yelled back, "I didn't ask to become a Jinchuuriki; I didn't want those people to die for me. I cannot be held accountable for things I had no power in stopping."

"Be that as it may, it does not hide the fact that you have caused countless lives to be lost." One brave civilian councilman stood, a defiant smirk on his lips and an accusatory finger pointing straight at Naruto.

"And yet I brought them back! Without me you people would still be knocking at death's door, without me, Nagato wouldn't have even hesitated on letting you all rot!" His facts were solid, so was his defense, but for some reason none of the judges seemed to be fazed, their stoic, unmoving faces held firm. "What more proof do you need!?"

"But can you say the same thing for Asuma Sarutobi, or even your poor sensei, Jiraiya? Or how about the countless others who have died at the hands of the Akatsuki?" the Councilman yelled. The room was in an uproar, thousands of well respected, highly decorated Shinobi's were yelling for blood, Naruto's blood to be more specific.

"Both deaths hold no merit in this trial!" Naruto interjected, surprisingly thinking far clearer than he usually did, "Jiraiya went to find information on the Akatsuki, and Asuma with his team were _assigned _to capture two Akatsuki members who were spotted crossing our borders. Pretending their deaths had anything to do with me is idiotic and it devalues their passing!"

"Actually, Uzumaki" Danzo chimed in, "we have reports that state those two Akatsuki members were aiming for Konoha, and more importantly, they were aiming to capture you. Asuma risked his life to protect the village; he died because you are a magnet for disaster."

"And how is this my fault!?" Naruto barked, his rage reaching an all time high as he watched as each and every pair of eyes in the building locked on him. It was a truly unsettling feeling, everyone looking at you, like you're on display. One time or another in Naruto's life he would love such attention, weather it was good or bad, he didn't care, as long as all eyes were on him. But now, now he is on trial for a charge that was utterly ludicrous, and now, all that love and admiration he felt after defeating Pein was gone. All he felt was pure, seething hatred from all in attendance.

"We are not blaming you, Uzumaki-san," Danzo calmly stated, his words slipping from his tongue with such professionalism, it was oddly therapeutic, as well as teeth grindingly annoying. "But we cannot allow this facts to be unheard, weather you are physically responsible or not, I must do what is best for the village."

"What facts!?" How many times could Naruto yell until someone heard him, it was like talking to a wall, but even that's easier. "All you old bastards have been doing is sitting there, repeating the same old lines over and over again like fucking puppets!"

"..." Danzo stayed stoic as usual, his gaze unwavering, "jury, have you reached a decision?"

"Yes, your honor." A cloaked figure stood forth, brandishing a single paper in his grip who was soon followed by his doppelgangers'.

"You!" Naruto yelled, recognizing the design of the cloaks, "you did this to me, you rat bastards!"

"You did this to yourself, Naruto. We are just finishing what you started….no matter how troublesome it is."

"...say that again," That voice, the gargled words that this cloaked figure once had dropped, revealing a much more memorable voice to our subdued hero.

"Say what? Troublesome?" The man mocked; shrugging his shoulders lazily in a manner that only one person could produce.

"S….Shikamaru? Is that you!?" Naruto questioned, scanning the boy's body to try and find anything that resembled the know it all he called a friend & comrade.

"I don't know, is it?"

"Nara-san, that's enough teasing. The boy has a right to know who his jury is," Danzo stated, ushering the cloaked figure and his lackeys to follow his command, which they did. One by one, their hoods dropped, revealing their faces to the defendant, and one by one, a small chip of Naruto's heart fell. Each face was one that Naruto will never forget, Shikamaru, Sakura, Ino, Choji, Kiba, Shino, Tenten, Neji, Sai, and, finally Hinata, each with blank, unwavering faces that only worsened Naruto's mood.

"S-Shikamaru, C-Choji, Sakura, even you…..Hinata." They didn't look, they didn't speak, they just stared towards their appointed leader, Danzo, who was now awaiting their decision, "hey….HEY! What are you doing? You're my friends, aren't you!? Please, won't someone…...answer me?"

"Danzo-sama," Shikamaru stated, utterly ignoring Naruto's plea, "we have come to a decision. We find the defendant, Naruto Uzumaki…..guilty on all charges."

Naruto was at a loss for words, his mouth hung slightly agape as he watched his friends sentence him. He couldn't believe it, the people he would live and die for, the people he once considered closer than family, has tried and convicted him on charges that were flimsy at best.

"Very well," Danzo sighed, almost as if he didn't want this, and even Naruto knew that was a lie, "Uzumaki Naruto, you are here by sentenced to death."

"...Death?" The word slithered from Naruto's mouth, his body locked with fear.

"Yes, it was decided that you are to dangerous to keep alive." One councilmember voiced, his menacing stare lined solely for the demon shackled in the middle of this courtroom, "if you die today, thousands will be able to prosper in the future. A win, win."

But then, something happened that no one could have predicted, Naruto started to laugh. It was low at first, barely detectable over the whispers of the crowd, but soon it echoed throughout the hall. Naruto threw his head back, his mouth wide while tears streamed down his dirty face.

"You bastards….you filthy, disgusting, fucking BASTARDS!" He yelled, his disturbed laughter replaced with an eerie smile. It happened, Naruto has finally snapped, "you're afraid, that's why you're doing this, isn't it? ISN'T IT!? I am stronger than all of you; I have more strength in my pinky than you bastards do in your whole, aging, wrinkled bodies. But, instead of trying to get into my good graces like a bunch of brown-nosing leeches, you have decided to kill me, so you can sleep safely at night, not worrying about if I will take my sweet revenge on those who beat me as a child! And that's why you held this farce you call a trial. You did this so you can clear your conscience! There were no facts, no rhyme or reason for this, you just want a piss poor excuse to kill me."

"That's enough," Danzo barked, his calm demeanor slipping to make way for his true colors, "I will not have your filthy mouth dirty up my court room anymore. You will be executed at 6 a.m. but in the meantime, Ibiki Morino, will you please come in here."

Soon, Naruto was met with a large man, one that he has seen only once before. He was a large, imposing figure, which he complements with a rugged head and face covered with old wounds and scars. his head is always covered to conceal a collection of burn marks, punctures from where screws were used, and long slash marks but he had it covered up by a single, black bandanna.

"Yes, Hokage-sama?" Ibiki bowed to his leader, awaiting his orders.

"I would like you too…...keep a close eye on our new guest until then."

"Yes, of course, Lord Hokage." A sly smirk appeared on the scared Shinobi's face. He reached for Naruto's restraints, unshackled the chains from their beams and unshackled Naruto's legs. He began to pull, bring Naruto's limp body with him. Naruto was spent, he couldn't fight back and even if he could, what would be the point? They've won. Even if he was able to escape Ibiki's grasp, who would he turn too? All of his friends betrayed him, all the villagers want him dead, and he was truly alone.

So, with a broken heart, and a single tear escaping his blue orbs, he prepared himself for his night of hell with the torture experts, Ibiki and Anko.

**KTIF Base of operation: **

**(Konoha's Torture and Interrogation Force)**

"Alright boys, we got a live one!" Ibiki yells, dragging the unmoving corpse of Naruto down the final flight of stairs, into the dark and dank room that is referred to by many as the gateway to hell.

After Ibiki's statement, a group of people sprang forward, almost salivating at the chance to torture a poor soul, and one of those was the Snake Mistress herself, Anko Mitarashi. This woman was a grade A depiction of a Sadist, she loved to bring pain, embarrassment, or humiliation towards others. Maybe it was a trait she picked up with years of spending time as Orochimaru's apprentice.

"Who's the fresh meat, Ibiki? I hope he's a screamer!" She couldn't be more existed, it was actually quite disturbing.

"It's our lucky day, actually." Ibiki whipped Naruto around, showing everyone their new toy to mess around with for the rest of the night. "I introduce to you, the "hero" of Konoha, Naruto Uzumaki!"

"Awe, Ibiki, you tease! It's not my birthday, and yet you brought me the best present in the world." Anko squealed, before walking up to Naruto's comatose form, produced a kunai, and proceeded to slice open his cheek before licking the blood from the blade. "Ahhhhh, his blood is as sweet as I remember it was all those years ago."

"Heel, Anko, heel!" Ibiki joked, pushing Anko off of Naruto's body, "we are torturing him, not raping him."

"With Anko, sex and torture is the same thing," one of the other members of the KTIF stated quietly, getting a sneaker from the room.

"Hey!" Anko hissed, turning towards them only to flash them a sickly sweet smile, "it's no fun if it doesn't hurt."

"That's enough you two; we got some work to do." Ibiki murmured, pushing through the crowd with Naruto dragged behind him. His destination was clear; he was going to strap him to the patient torture seat. He placed Naruto on the flat part of this mangled horror and strapped his arms and legs to the sides of it, forcing Naruto to straddle this oddly constructed marvel. It had so many contours and dips that is was practically unsittable, causing pain for whoever sat on it before the actual torture began.

"Now, we gotta soften him up a bit, we don't want him passing out _too _early. So, who's up first for the bullwhipping position?" And almost instantly, each hand in the room rose. Full grown adults were jumping at the chance to bring one teenager unquestionable amount of pain and suffering, it was the most disturbing sight Naruto has ever seen.

"Hmmmmmm, let me see….Anko! You're up first," he declared, which got a few unsatisfied sighs, groans, and one loud cheer from one, Anko Mitarashi, who eagerly rushed to pick up the leather handled bull whip.

"Wait," she halted in mid whip, a thought crossing her mind, "what is the kid in for anyway?"

"Does it really matter?" Ibiki sighed, shrugging his shoulders.

"Nope, I just like making my victims wait!" And without a single bit of remorse, Anko sent the thin tip of this whip careening towards Naruto's unclothed back, slicing through his creamy skin like butter with a sickening crack.

Naruto bit down on his bottom lip, unwilling to let this sadist like children getting anything from him, even the most simplest of eeps or shrieks.

"Oh," Anko giggled, pulling the whip back to once again lick the trickle of blood that stained the leather, "it looks like we have ourselves a tough guy. Too bad for him, I know the perfect spots to hit to make this nut crack!"

An onslaught of slashes and cracks sounded off in the dark dungeon that was the KTIF base of operation. Anko's arm and whip were a blur, her speed almost ungodly with this instrument as she rained down blow after bloody blow on Naruto's back, and not once in all the slashes of that whip did Naruto scream. But soon, Anko grew bored of the same old whipping sound, you can only bloody up someone's back so much until you find it tedious.

"Okay, bored now." she sighed, dropping the now red whip onto the floor before rushing to the tray of unholy tools to torment god's creatures. She settled on an old classic of hers, the finger nail ripper. Such an odd weapon but still the most effective. It was a piece of wood that had a metal contraction bolted on top. You would slide the pointed, flat end under your victim's nails, and then use the other side to apply force, popping that sucker clean off. Sometimes it could be quick, other you can be slow, but either way, it was all pain.

"Really Anko? The Ripper?" One interjected, "couldn't you pick a more meniousing device? Like the back breaker or the Wheel of dismemberment?"

"You and all those naysayers have underestimated this baby, have you ever had a fingernail ripped clean off, and then have someone rub salt in it? I don't think so!"

**6 Hours Later: 6 a.m. the next morning**

6 hours, 6 ungodly hours of nothing but torture and abuse. Even the curliest of men would have given their victims a minute to rest, to let their beatings seep in. But this team of highly trained monsters found it utterly idiotic too allow anything other than 24/7 abuse for their (un)lucky participant.

Naruto has taken a ride on every machine, weapon, and device these people could come up with, and now, all he can do is sit there while they used their last trick in the book, brass knuckles.

Naruto was strung up in the corner, both arms dangling high above him while tied by the chains he was dragged here by, his head hung low, revealing his tattered hair that was soaked in his own blood. His body, a bruised and bloody mess, hung for all to see, and more importantly, beat.

It was Ibiki who was up to the punching bag, the others either too tired or already asleep. He slipped on the brass knuckles, got into a good boxing stance, and went for a one two combo to the boy's ribs. Naruto's bones bent, if not broke, under the pressure of Ibiki's process hits, driving the wind out of the poor teen. All the boy could muster was a tired groan that was horsed and unsatisfying for Ibiki. After a full hour of this abuse, Naruto finally broke down, he screamed, yelled, even cried, just wishing someone would end him, but his prayer was unheeded.

He was left to his hell for the next 5 hours, and now the man that hangs before you is the product of those few hours. His body was riddled with cuts, lashes, burns, and bruises, not a single part of his body was left without something. His left eye was swollen to a massive degree, and his left arm was surely broken now. His finger nails were gone, not counting his left pinky and right birdie. Everything on his was destroyed; nothing was left unmarked by this experience.

There was no mistaken that Naruto truly wished to die, and soon his wish will become a reality.

"That's quite enough, Ibiki." A voice called to the scarred shinobi, stopping his sickening ultra combo from continuing. He turned to see the one armed one eyed fill in for the Hokage walk down the steps and enter the man's damp bog he called a base, "I think you have had enough fun for one night. Don't you agree, Ibiki?"

"Hai, Lord Hokage." Ibiki bowed, "it was getting boring anyway."

"I see. Well, anyway. Get him down and prepare him for his lakeside burial."

"Hmmmm, a lakeside burial, sir?" Ibiki questioned, untangling Naruto from his shackles, his body dropping to the ground with a harsh thud.

"Yes, we are going to drop this boy's body into a lake, or rather, the ocean that connects us with Wave country." Danzo explained, motioning for his two shadows to take the unconscious Naruto up the stairs so they could prepare.

"I don't understand. Wouldn't it be far easier and quicker to just cut his head off or light him on fire?" Ibiki's twisted thinking only brought a low laugh from Danzo's gullet.

"Oh trust me, Ibiki. Many have asked that," he stated coldly, watching as his two lackeys walked up those stairs, dragging along a lifeless corpse of a once bright and lovable boy, "but they have forgotten one crucial detail."

"And that would be?"

"The boy is the Jinchuuriki of the Nine Tailed fox. If I kill him within the city limits, that demon will be released inside our borders." Danzo explained, "We need to kill him far away from our village, and what better way than to drop the child off in the middle of the ocean. The boy drowns and the Kyuubi will quite possibly parish along with his container, drowning in the deep sea."

"...But why Wave? Isn't Wave country an ally of Konoha?"

"Yes, but it could also give Konoha the diversion it needs." A chill rushed through the room as Danzo gripped the handle of his cane, "if the Kyuubi does survive this, it should target the closest village. That would be Wave country, and once the news of its demise reaches Konoha, we will have enough time to evacuate and save our people. It is…...a necessary sacrifice for the good of Konoha. Don't you agree Ibiki?"

"...H-Hai, Lord Hokage."

**Boat: 6:15 a.m.**

"How much farther is, sir?" Danzo questioned the captain of the boat as he stood on the apex of the boat. He looked over the vast ocean that was covered by a thin layer of fog. Slightly cliché but it seemed to set the mood of what was about to happen. In front of Danzo were 5 men, four of them were his own personal ANBU's, and the 5th and most important was Naruto. He was bound and gagged, awaiting his timely demise.

"About one minute, Lord Hokage. We will be at the perfect distance from Wave country to Konoha."

"Excellent, thank you, my good man." A minute passed, the engine cuts off, and now it was the time of reckoning. Naruto was pushed to the very edge of the boat, the protective railing swung from his path, giving him the perfect walkway for his untimely demise. Almost like a plank, if you will.

"Naruto Uzumaki is there anything else you would like to say before you plummet to the deepest depths of the unforgiving ocean."

"...yes," Naruto mumbled past the cloth shoved in his mouth, turning one last time to look into the eyes of his executioners, "you better make damn sure this kills me….because if I live, I will spend every waking hour preparing for the day when I destroy every last thing you people hold dear!"

"...Humph, very well. I will let you keep your fever dream." Danzo humored, a sly smile appearing on his face, "now, it is time. Fu, Torune, you know what to do."

And like that, Naruto was off the plank, a single slash to his chest, deeper than the ones that already covered his body and a debilitating spin kick to his sternum, and he was off the boat, plummeting fast into the awaiting blue.

*CRACK*

Back first into the water, a sickening crack was heard once his flat back connected with the surface of the drink. The remaining members of the boat watched from on high as Naruto sunk to the bottom, his body unmoving and his eyes closed.

Danzo, not feeling quite satisfied with this show of death and despair, produced a burlap sack that was wiggling and and squirming, indicating life. "Oh," Danzo murmured, walking to the edge of the walkway, "and take your flea-ridden cub with you." dropping the sack into the water waiting below, allowing the feline to share the same fate with its master.

**Flashback End: **

And that's how I arrived to such a troubling state. My lungs are taking on water, every second I spend under water the more my lungs begin to burn. My vision grew black as I watched the boat's propellers kick on, pushing this hunk of metal through the water, leaving me and my cub to die in a watery grave.

Is this how it ends? The great Naruto Uzumaki, the son of the most famous Hokage of all time, Minato Namikaze, is done in by an old man and a rigged judicial system? How….idiotic, I would have thought I would have died in the heat of battle, a entrechat chess match with each side pulling out all the stops, and then, at the very end, my opponent and I lock eyes, charge at each other one final time, and strike.

…..I guess kinda how things ended with me and Naomi Uchiha, if I had died that day, I would have died in the way I would have wanted. But, I guess I can't be too picky, seeing as my body can't move and it's sinking to the bottom of this ocean, I couldn't change this if I tried. I guess this is how I… what's that gnawing sensation?

I opened my eyes to find Nemian in front of me, chewing on the steel chains while his claws work its magic on the cuffs themselves. I look behind him and see the burlap sack he was imprisoned in had a hole in it, apparently Shima statement on Nemian's claws being strong enough to cut through chainmail was no exaggeration. Soon enough, the bonds broke, releasing me from my only confinement. I scooped up little Nemian and began to swim, but I had already sunk so deep and taken on so much water, I could barely pump my legs, let alone reach the top.

But I couldn't let that worry me, if Nemian could rescue me; I knew I had to do the same for him. I pushed all the negativity from my mind, and used everything within my power to push my lungs and legs to the limits until I finally, thankfully, broke the surface, breathing in the foggy air. Who would have known that drowning for only a few seconds would leave you so thirsty for air?

I leaned back, allowing my beaten body the joy of weightlessness as I let Nemian have a comfy spot on my chest, which he took with gusto. _"Now what?"_ I thought to myself, allowing the slow ripples of water slap off my abused form, _"I can't swim back, it would take me days, and the only reason I would go back to that hellhole is so I can light it on fire with my own two hands!" _

"Maybe I could go to Wave," I said, talking to no one in particular, "...hmmmmm, no, that wouldn't be ideal. Konoha has a base stationed in Wave, if they find me and rat on me; I would be putting Wave and its entire people in danger. I couldn't do that to them."

"...I guess, all I can do is wait for a passing boat. It can't be that long, right? This is a prominent trading route, there has to be a boat that will have no problem in taking in a new ship hand." I tried to reassure myself, thinking how great my imaginary dream of being a ship hand would truly be, "I know it, I know I will be saved. I just have to wait."

**4 Days Later: **

4 days…...4 GOD DAMN DAYS! How could this be possible? Not a single trade ship, freighter, hell, not even a freaking row-boat has gone through this route for 4 days! I am surprised I haven't starved to death, or eaten Nemian. I'm actually surprised he hasn't tried to eat me; he's just laid there, his occasional tail movement my only indication that he was still alive.

My body has become pruned and my wounds have been picked clean of bacteria or fungi by passing fish, so I guess that could be a plus. I haven't slept in 4 days, 5 if you count that night of abuse I spent chained up in a dungeon. Every waking minute filled my heart with dread, every moment wondering if this would be the day the creatures of the deep decided to have their way with my weakened body.

I closed my eyes, I just wanted a minute, a single minute of rest, that's all I am asking for. But once again, my wish went unheeded. I was startled awake after a solid 5 seconds of sleep by an incoming wave taking me and Nemian by surprise. He went under while my body was flipped and dipped deep into the blue, unforgiving, water.

Once again, I find myself underwater, body unwilling to move. Nemian was able to swim to the surface, well rested enough to get himself to freedom, but I was not so lucky. Before I could contemplate my final thoughts, the sun that has been beating down on me for days was blocked out. I looked above me to find the bottom of a fancy boat. My prayers were answered! I was saved!...But, there was one problem. I was still under the water; they would never be able to see me down here. I kicked and squirmed, trying to get the movement I desired but I wasn't so lucky.

I looked to my left, trying to find my cub, only to see his little paw before it vanished, it along with the body was being lifted onto the boat by an extended pole hook. _"At least one of us gets to live." _I thought, a small, satisfied smile graced my lips. I closed my eyes once more, content with my death, or rather, indifferent. I just didn't' have it in me.

I waited for the cold hand of the Shinigami to grip me, waiting to pull me into the underworld, but was surprised when I felt a different pull. a physical one. I felt a rush of water and a tremendous force pulling me forward before I felt my body surface.

My open eyes were graced by a form of netting, a fishing net I would guess, seeing as there were many freshly pulled fish flopping around me. I was quickly dropped on a wooden floor along with the other fish, my face pressed against the slightly watery floor.

"Why hello there," I looked up, trying to distinguish the features of the person who saved me, but this person's features were blocked by the sun, "who might you be?"

"N-Naruto, Naruto U-U-Uzumaki. And you?"

"Well, my name is Arwen. It is nice to meet you."

**Thank you all for reading, please review and PM me if you have any questions.**


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